Power shutoffs do not need to shut down your life. If you spend time in Napa, Sonoma, or the surrounding Wine Country, you know PSPS events can arrive with little notice and last longer than planned. You want your estate to stay comfortable, secure, and self‑sufficient while protecting sensitive collections and daily routines. This guide shows you how to design practical, elegant backup solutions tailored to estates with wells, wine storage, EVs, and complex systems. Let’s dive in.
Why PSPS matter in Wine Country
Public Safety Power Shutoffs are preemptive outages used during high wildfire risk. In recent seasons, they have grown in frequency and scope, sometimes lasting days. For estate owners, the stakes are higher than a typical home.
Your priorities often include wine cellar climate control, refrigeration, domestic water from a well, security and gates, communications, critical HVAC, wastewater or sump pumps, and stable operations for barns or outbuildings. Your goal is simple: keep the property livable and protected while the grid is down.
Backup power strategies
Most estates use one or a mix of four approaches: solar plus batteries, critical‑load panels, generators, and hybrid microgrids. The right fit depends on your critical loads, desired run time, and tolerance for noise and maintenance.
Solar plus battery storage
Solar can power daytime loads while batteries carry overnight and outage periods. A compatible inverter isolates your home from the grid automatically and feeds either selected circuits or the whole house.
- Design notes: Size the system from a critical load list. Confirm the inverter can handle peak and motor starting loads for HVAC, wine cellar chillers, pool equipment, and well pumps. Consider AC‑coupled batteries for retrofits and DC‑coupled for new builds. Follow local fire and building codes for siting and clearances.
- Pros: Quiet, low emissions, automatic operation. Solar extends battery run time in multi‑day events.
- Cons: Higher upfront cost for whole‑home coverage. Professional load modeling and permitting add time.
Critical‑load panels and transfer
A critical‑load subpanel feeds only the circuits you prioritize, like the well pump, refrigeration, cellar HVAC, internet, and security. A transfer switch connects those circuits to your backup source during an outage.
- Design notes: Decide what is truly essential. Larger estates may split loads across multiple subpanels for the house, cellar, and outbuildings. Automatic transfer offers seamless switchover while manual transfer is simpler and less costly.
- Pros: Much smaller battery or generator needed, faster path to resilience at lower cost.
- Cons: Non‑critical loads remain off, so planning is key to avoid surprises.
Generators for extended outages
Propane, natural gas, or diesel generators can power the entire property or just critical panels. Automatic transfer will start and carry loads when the grid goes down.
- Design notes: Choose fuel based on site access and reliability under PSPS conditions. Propane is common where grid gas is uncertain. Diesel offers high power density but needs more maintenance and careful fuel management. Follow local codes for emissions, noise, and tank placement.
- Pros: Long run times with fuel. More cost‑effective per kilowatt when covering sustained high loads like multiple HVAC zones and pool equipment.
- Cons: Noise, emissions, ongoing maintenance, and fuel logistics. Local air quality rules may limit options.
Hybrid microgrid approaches
You can combine solar, battery storage, and a generator under a controller that prioritizes loads and automates islanding. This gives you silent, clean operation most of the time, with generator support for long outages.
- Design notes: A staged system works well for large estates: a modest battery for quiet short‑term needs, solar to recharge daily, and a generator for multi‑day resilience.
- Pros: Balanced cost, emissions, and reliability with flexible control.
- Cons: More complex design and integration. Requires experienced installers.
Well pump backup
No power often means no water. Well pumps have higher starting current than many household circuits, so sizing and controls matter.
- Options: Use a generator sized for the pump’s starting surge, or pair a battery and inverter with a soft‑start device or variable frequency drive to reduce inrush. Smaller properties may use a dedicated battery backup for the pump, but most estates integrate the pump into the main resilience system.
- Key steps: Identify pump type, horsepower, voltage, and starting current. Add soft‑start or a VFD to lower inverter surge requirements. Confirm code‑compliant wiring at the well controls and protect potable water with proper backflow prevention. Consider a backup storage tank for gravity‑fed emergency supply.
EV charging resilience
Your EV is both a critical load and a potential asset. You may need it for evacuation or, if compatible, as a temporary energy source.
- Bidirectional options: Some vehicle and charger combinations support vehicle‑to‑home or vehicle‑to‑load. Compatibility is specific to the car, charger, and system controls, and must meet code and interconnection rules.
- Simple workaround: Put your EV charger on the critical panel so you can charge during the day from solar or from a generator. Time charging for daylight production to preserve battery reserves.
- Planning notes: Confirm bidirectional capability before you rely on it. For multi‑vehicle households, designate one V2H‑capable vehicle as a mobile battery and charge it during sunny hours.
Incentives and financing
Programs can reduce the cost of batteries, solar, and EV charging equipment. Availability and amounts change, and many require licensed installers and pre‑approval.
- California SGIP: Storage incentives may be available, including resilience‑focused budgets in some cases. Check current eligibility, installer requirements, and application steps.
- Federal tax credits: Residential solar and certain energy storage projects may qualify. Confirm current guidance or consult a tax advisor.
- EV charger incentives: Federal credits and some state or local programs can support home charging equipment. Community Choice Aggregators and utilities sometimes offer rebates for batteries, chargers, and smart controls.
- Regional programs: Some counties in Wine Country have offered resilience grants or technical assistance for home hardening and backup power.
- Financing: Consider PACE, home equity, or dedicated solar and storage loans. Compare cost of capital to long‑term benefits and risk reduction.
Permitting and interconnection
Expect electrical and building permits for batteries, generators, transfer equipment, and EV chargers. Inspectors enforce state and local codes for safety and fire compliance.
- Utility coordination: Systems that can export or island require utility interconnection approval, including anti‑islanding measures. Start early, since review timelines can affect schedules.
- Fire and safety: Battery siting, clearances, labeling, and emergency access must follow manufacturer instructions and local fire authority rules. Fuel storage for generators must meet fire and environmental regulations.
- Well systems: Use licensed electricians experienced with pump controls and coordinate with inspectors for potable water protections.
Estate planning checklist
Use this framework to move from concept to a buildable plan:
Assessment and priorities
- List critical loads: refrigeration, cellar HVAC, well pump, security, communications, sump/wastewater, key HVAC zones, and any medical devices.
- Note starting currents for motors and desired endurance: 24 hours, 72 hours, or multi‑day.
- Map the main service location, panels, wellhead, outbuildings, barns, gates, and EV charging spots.
Sizing and options
- Choose whole‑home vs critical‑load strategy. Do simple kW times hours estimates to gauge battery energy and inverter capacity.
- For wells, get the pump spec sheet and plan for soft‑start or a VFD. Decide whether the pump is on a dedicated backup or the main system.
- For EVs, identify models and whether bidirectional charging is supported. Decide if the charger belongs on the critical panel.
Procurement and installation
- Request 2 to 3 bids from licensed installers experienced with large houses and hybrid systems. Ask for examples of similar estate projects and their permit and interconnection track record.
- Verify familiarity with SGIP and any local programs you plan to pursue.
Finance and incentive capture
- Confirm eligibility and pre‑approvals before signing. Align installation timing with program windows and inspection requirements.
Operations and maintenance
- Set a maintenance schedule: generator load tests and battery health checks. Maintain fuel or a charging plan during fire season. Train household staff on manual transfer if you do not have automatic transfer.
Insurance and emergency planning
- Notify your insurer about major upgrades. Update your emergency plan with power‑loss contingencies, evacuation triggers, and animal or winery needs.
Scenario planning by estate size
For a 5,000 to 8,000 square foot estate with a wine cellar and a well, many owners pursue a critical‑panel strategy paired with a 50 to 100 kWh battery and a generator for extended outages. A soft‑start or VFD on the well pump lowers surge loads and allows a right‑sized inverter. Solar helps recharge daily and reduces generator runtime.
If you want whole‑home coverage, expect larger inverters and more battery capacity than a selective backup. Hybrid controllers can prioritize high‑value zones like the cellar and primary HVAC, then shed non‑essential loads to preserve run time.
Buyer and seller takeaways
Resilience planning can enhance livability and peace of mind, which matters during due diligence and negotiations. Clear documentation of permits, equipment, and maintenance builds confidence for buyers evaluating rural or multi‑acre properties.
If you are preparing to sell, aligning backup power upgrades with thoughtful presentation can streamline disclosures and elevate the property narrative. If you are buying, incorporate PSPS planning into inspections and request equipment specs and interconnection records.
A discreet, stepwise plan lets you start with essentials and add capacity over time. The result is a calm, capable estate that performs when it counts.
Ready to align your PSPS strategy with your next move in Wine Country or Marin? Request a Private Consultation with Wynne + Morgensen to discuss how resilience planning can support your purchase or sale.
FAQs
What PSPS resilience means for Wine Country estates
- PSPS events are preemptive outages during high wildfire risk, so you plan for multi‑day operation of critical systems like wells, cellar HVAC, security, and communications.
How to choose between whole‑home and critical‑load backup
- Start with a critical load list and desired run time; selective backup reduces system size and cost, while whole‑home coverage needs larger inverters and batteries or a generator.
Whether a battery alone can cover multi‑day outages
- It depends on capacity and loads; for multi‑day resilience most estates pair batteries with solar or a generator to extend runtime.
How to back up a well pump during a PSPS
- Identify pump specs and add a soft‑start or VFD to reduce surge; back it with a right‑sized inverter and battery or a generator tied through a transfer switch.
Using an EV to power the house during an outage
- Some vehicles and chargers support bidirectional operation, but compatibility and approvals vary; a simple workaround is placing your charger on the critical panel and charging during daylight.